On the advice of the Guru, if one meditates with firm determination on the principle of “I am one without duality” need not resort to forest for penances, and the constant practice of the above principle brings about samadhi and his sins are burnt instantaneously. (94 & 95)

The Jivatma (individual being) and the Paramatma (Supreme Self) are one and inseparable just as the water and the ocean, the milk and the milk, the ghee and the ghee or pot ether and Mahakasha (wide ether). (155)

The Knowledge of Brahman resides in the mouth of the Guru. The disciples get it by devotion to the Guru. In the three worlds this fact is clearly enunciated by Divine Sages, the Pitris (ancestors) and learned men. (32)

The Sadhaka should present to the Guru seats, bedding, carriage, vehicles, ornaments, etc., conductive to his happiness. (37)

The body, the senses, the Prana, wealth, one’s own relations, the self, wife etc., all these should be surrendered to the Satguru. (38)

O Parvati, this truth should be revealed to one who is endowed with intense devotion and faith towards the Guru, whose heart is pure to the greatest degree. It gives me the greatest satisfaction and joy. (198)

Hari OM. On the holy occasion of Guru Poornima, let’s understand the Guru and Guru Tatva as given in Guru Gita.

One has to carefully interpret Guru and Guru Tatva i.e. Brahma Tatva while reading Guru Gita. At critical verses (not all) I have mentioned a note where one has to take Guru as Guru Tatva. Since the length of this post very big, we have removed Sanskrit Verses. A PDF with Sanskrit Verses is attached herewith.

||Aum Tam Namami Gurum Param||

Who so ever has the Supreme Love & adoration for the Lord and as for the Lord, likewise for the Guru; to him these great matters, when they told, become clear of themselves. (17)

He who is the Guru is Shiva Himself, so declare the scriptures, and the fact that Shiva is the Guru, is reminded to us in all the Smritis. He, who makes any distinction between the two, is guilty of the crime of uniting with his own Guru’s wife. (18)

The Vedas, the Shastras, Puranas, the Itihasas etc., the science of Mantras, Yantras Mohana, Uchatana etc., cults like the Shaiva, Agama, Shakta, etc., and other cults existing in the world today are merely false theories expressed in corrupted words which confuse the ignorant and deluded Jivas. Japa austerities, observances, pilgrimage sacrifice, charity - all these become a mere waste without understanding the Guru Tattva. (19, 20, 21)

Brahman resides in the mouth of the Guru i.e.; his words, and one attains Brahman by the grace of the Guru. One should meditate on His Guru at all times, just as a devoted wife thinks of her husband only. (30)

The syllable “Gu” is the darkness and the syllable “Ru” is said to be light. There is no doubt that the Guru is indeed the Supreme Knowledge that dispels (the darkness of) ignorance. (33)

“Gu” Kara means the darkness and “Ru” Kara means the remover of the darkness. On account of the power of removing darkness, the teacher is known by the significant name “Guru”. (34)

The letter “Gu” denotes that He is beyond the three Gunas and “Ru“ denotes that He is beyond forms. Because He is free from Gunas and forms, He is called the Guru. (35)

The first syllable “Gu” represents the principles such as maya and the second syllable “Ru” the supreme knowledge that destroys the illusions of maya. (36)

The holy lotus feet of the Guru shine like the two pearls (the essence) of the entire Srutis. The Guru is the exponent of the Truths of the Vedanta. Therefore one should worship the Guru. (39)

By the mere remembrance of whom Knowledge dawns in one automatically; he (the Guru) is one’s entire wealth. Therefore one should worship the Guru. (40)

When one is faced by adverse situations, only Guru helps just like the closest brother. Guru is manifestation of all religious, therefore, prostrations to the Guru. (42)

Note: Religion = Dharma = varNa Dharma and jAti Dharma

Neither those who perform great sacrifices, nor yogis, nor those who practice severe austerities are liberated if they are averse to Guru Tattva. (52)

ब्रह्मानन्दं परमसुखदं केवलं ज्ञानमूर्तिं

द्वन्द्वातीतं गगनसदृशं तत्वमस्यादिलक्ष्यम् |

एकं नित्यं विमलमचलं सर्वधीसाक्षिभूतम्

भावतीतं त्रिगुणरहितं सदगुरुं तं नमामि ||

I prostrate myself before that Guru, the Bliss of Brahman, the bestower of Supreme Happiness, who is Knowledge absolute, transcending the pairs of opposites, expansive like the sky, the goal indicated by the great sayings like “Thou art That”, the one eternal, pure, unchanging, the witness of functions of the intellect, who is above all Bhavas (mental conditions) and the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas). (54)

One should purify his mind by the method prescribed by the Guru. With the knowledge of the Self, one should reject everything else as unreal. (55)

What is the use of elaborating here? Without Guru’s infinite grace peace of mind is difficult even after studying millions of scriptures. (56)

One who cuts as under, for the disciple, the eight kinds of attachment (doubts, pity, fear, shyness, censure, position in society, high birth and wealth), by the sword of mercy and bestows absolute Bliss is called Satguru. (57)

The Guru is one who instructs the disciple about attributeless, eternal Brahman, and there by reveals the Brahmanbhava (feeling of being Brahman) in his heart just like one lamp kindles another lamp is the Guru. (75)

By steadiness in the path to liberation, by seeing one’s own Self in oneself, by the practice of introspection within and by the Grace of the Guru, the Knowledge of the Self dawns in the Sadhaka. (76)

By constant meditation on the Guru, the individual soul becomes Brahman, wherever he lives he is free, there is no doubt in it. (85)

Guru is Shiva, Guru is God. Guru is the relative of all embodied beings. Guru is the Self. Guru is Jiva. There is nothing other than the Guru. (87)

As the Rajasic Brahma, SriGuru creates this universe, as the Sattvic Vishnu, He protects it and as the Tamasic Rudra, He destroys it. (96)

By His grace, after having attained a glimpse of that Supreme being in Guru, one should stay alone, free from all contacts without any attachment and peacefully. (97)

O beloved Parvati, one might have learned the four vedas and the six- branched Agamas (shiksha, kalpa, Vyakaranam, Nirukta, Astrology and Chhandas) all Adhyatma Shastras, but one cannot attain Self-knowledge without Guru. (100)

One may be engaged in worship of either Shiva or Vishnu, but if he is without knowledge of the Guru-Tattva, all his worship is a mere waste. (101)

By the glory of Guru Diksha, all your actions bear fruit. By the attainment of a Guru one attains everything. One without a Guru is mere fool. (102)

The body, the senses, the mother’s clan, the father’s clan, - all those are present in one’s guru. There is not the least doubt about this. (153)

Guru is God. Guru is religion. The greatest penance is unshakable faith in God. I repeat this thrice with force that there is nothing greater than the Guru. (154)

GuruBhakti is the greatest kind of pilgrimage. Others are worthless. All places of pilgrimage are present, O Devi, at the sacred holy feet of the Guru. (159)

There are ever so many Gurus in the world who rob the wealth of their disciples. But I consider that Guru a rare one among Gurus who removes the afflictions of the disciple’s heart. (162)

He who is the clever, the discriminative, the knower of the truths of spiritual sciences, the pure, is really the Guru. His Gurutva (state of a Guru) shines. (163)

Gurus are those who are pure at heart, calm, collected, of a saintly nature, who speaks measured words, who are free from lust, greed etc. who have conquered their senses and who are established in good conduct (Sadacharas). (164)

A Param Guru is free from attachment, etc; peaceful, always contented in Himself, independent, and one who considers the status of Brahma and Vishnu like a blade of grass. (180)

One who is independent at all times and places, who possess an unshakable mind and always blissful, who experiences the homogenous essence of the Self, such a one is the Param Guru. (181)

One who is free from the feeling of duality and non-duality, who shines by the light of His self-realization, who is able to destroy the deep darkness of ignorance, and is omniscient, He is a Param Guru. (182)

By whose mere Darshan (look with devotion), one attains calmness, cheerfulness, and peace and steadfastness, and peace of mind, such a one is Param Guru. (183)

One who looks upon his own body as a corpse, and his Self as the non-dual Brahman, and who has killed the infatuation for wealth and women, such a person is a Param Guru. (184)

O dear Parvati, listen to me. There are two classes of knowers of Truth. They are (1) The Mauni, and (2) The Vakta. No benefit accrues from the Mauni to any person. (185)

The Vakta on the other hand, is capable of saving others from great whirlpool of Samsara. Because he is able to clear all doubts by his knowledge of the scriptures, logical and convincing arguments and by his own direct Self-realization experience. (186)

By the Japa of the Guru’s name, O Devi, the sins accumulated in the countless lives are destroyed. There is not the least doubt about this. (187)

By the devotion practiced towards the Guru, one attains the liberation even without knowledge. For those who practice unflinching devotion to the Guru, no other sadhana is required. (212)

It is by the Guru’s grace and blessings that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva become capable of performing their respective duties- creation, preservation, and dissolution. (213)

O Devi, the two-lettered word “Guru” is the king among all mantras. It is the essence of the Vedas, Smritis and Puranas. (214)

The Guru is not different from the conscious Self. Without doubt, this is the truth; therefore wise men should make an effort to seek knowledge of Atman from Him. (22)

The hidden ignorance, absence of the Knowledge of Self, the world- Maya, the body are all caused by ignorance (Ajnana). By whose grace one attains direct Knowledge of the Self- he is known by the name Guru. (23)

“Gu” Kara means the darkness and “Ru” Kara means the remover of the darkness. On account of the power of removing darkness, the teacher is known by the significant name “Guru”. (34)

The letter “Gu” denotes that He is beyond the three Gunas and “Ru“ denotes that He is beyond forms. Because He is free from Gunas and forms, He is called the Guru. (35)

"Hindu Dharma" is a book published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan which contains English translation of two volumes of 7 volume Tamil Book "Deivatthin Kural"; which is a collection of invaluable and engrossing speeches of Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi MahaSwamiji. The teachings are Traditional yet modern and practically applicable, explained in simple and lucid language. They are extracted from discourses given by Paramacharya from 1907 to 1994 in Tamil and recorded by Shri Ra. Ganapati.
Paramacharya, as Swamiji is fondly called, is considered as an authority on almost all spiritual matters was 68th Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham. Paramacharya became Shankaracharya at the age of 13.

Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham is not established by Adi Shankaracharya (Adi Shankara) or by his disciples. Infact the matha is much older. Adi Shankara, a master of mantra vidya and Sri Yantra sAdhanA, re-consecrated Sri Yantra of Maa KAmAkhyAdevi (Kamakhyadevi) of Kamakoti Matha. Adi Shankara was also seated on the sarvajna Peetham of Kamakoti Math. Hence this matt is also adhering to Adi Shankara tradition and has unbroken successors upto the current 69th Swami Jayendra Saraswati.

Under the Dasanami order of sanyasins, there are two types of Saraswati-s - Ananda and Indra.